Knock-down shelving assembly



June 11, 1968 D. K. BROOKS 3,387,713

KNOCK-Down SHELVING ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 1, 1965 INVENTOR. DOYLE K. BROOKS United States Patent 3,387,713 KNOCK-DOWN SHELVING ASSEMBLY Doyle K. Brooks, 413 W. 19th St., Hays, Kans. 67601 Filed Oct. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 492,240 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-148) ABSTRACT 6F THE DISCLOSURE A dismountable bookcase comprising an elongated trough having a plurality of transverse grooves in the surface of the trough. A support means is formed to hold the troughs horizontally but in an inclined manner, and is adapted to fit into the grooves in the troughs. The sup port means when thus formed, will permit stacking of one trough on top of another.

This invention relates generally to a bookcase and particularly to a dismountable bookcase having additional novel means for retaining the books in an upright position once they are placed on the shelves in an upright position.

Dismountable bookcases are, for the most part, difficult to construct and as a consequence are expensive to manufacture. Further, once assembled the prior cut bookcases are not firm unless they are glued, screwed or otherwise fastened more rigidly together.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to construct a rigid dismountable bookcase that requires no supplemental fasteners.

It is also an object of this invention to disclose a bookcase that can be broken down into components that are flat, thereby substantially reducing the shipping container and as a consequence the ultimate cost of the bookcase.

It is still another object of this invention to disclose a novel method for retaining the books in position without the use of supplemental bookends.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bookcase that can be subsequently expanded within the height limits of the room when desired by the owner.

This invention features a bookcase composed of one or more inclined troughs. Each of the troughs are formed by a bottom and a back board connected by a plurality of dowel pins. Each of the troughs additionally include corresponding slots in the bottom and the top surface of both the bottom and back board and which are adapted to receive a vertical support member.

This invention also features a yieldable strip glued longitudinally to the back board and functions to support a book in an erect position without the use of bookends or other additional means.

The above and other objects and features of this invention will be evident from the following detailed description, When read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an expanded side view of the bookcase;

FIGURE 2 is an expanded front view of this invention;

FIGURE 2a is a front view of the trough showing different placements of upright support mounting slots;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of a book trough;

FIGURE 4 is the top view of a trough showing the action of the rubber strip book holder; and,

FIGURE 5 is perspective view of an assembled bookcase.

Common numerals in the figures will be used throughout the specification for corresponding elements.

Referring to all of the figures, but in particular to FIGURE 1, a base is shown having a vertical upright Patented June 11, 1968 12 secured within a slot or groove 11 on base 10. Vertical upright 12 has a right angle portion 14- cut into the side opposite the portion fitting in slot 11. Right angle cut out portion 14 is inclined with respect to the base 10. The proper angle of inclination will be disclosed later in the specification.

Book trough has a back portion 16 and a bottom portion 17 which are removably joined by a plurality of dowel pins 18 (see FIGURE 3) and mating holes 18a in bottom portion 17. Trough 20 contains a set of mating slots 21 in the bottom portion 17 and 22 in the back portion 16 which are adapted to receive the edge of the right angle cut out 14.

The inside of trough 20 contains a plurality of similar slots 24 and 25 for accepting a right angle cut off portion generally referred to as 26 on one end of an extension upright 30 which also contains another right angle cut out 14a.

In the preferred models, a book holding strip or strips 32 is attached to the inside of the back portion 16. Additional troughs 20 and extensions 30 may be added if desired.

The ease of manufacture of a bookcase can be readily seen when referenc is made to the individual component. The troughs 20 are identical and can be made as separate boards 16 and 17, slots 21, 24 or 22, 25 added, the ends doweled and packaged in a flat container for shipping. The extensions 30 can be formed continuously from a single long boardthe cutting of portion 14a will also form the cut off portion of the succeeding upright 30. The only special portions are the base members 10 and first upright 12 which form either sideand are identical.

Assembly of the unit is extremely simple for the novice assembler, requiring no tools, glue or other special equipment. As an example, the upright portion 12 has its lower portion slipped into the slot 11 of base 10. Two of these are assembled in like manner and then trough 20 is assembled by fitting the dowel pins 18 into the mating holes 180, keeping the glued rubber portions on the inside of the trough. The trough, when assembled, is mated to the upright portions 12 by inserting cut out portion 14 into slots 21 and 22. The bookcase, as now assembled, is extremely rigid since the slots 21 anchor the uprights to prevent pivoting about slots 22, and slots 22 anchor the bookcase assembly from side to side motion. The extensions are assembled by inserting each extension upright such as 30 into its corresponding slots 24 and 25.

' The next trough is then assembled and added in the same manner as trough 20.

It is, of course, understood that any number of pairs of extensions and troughs can be used for any particular installation. For example, a decorative effect can be obtained by varying the spacing of the extensions (see FIGURE 2a). Further, the length or width of the troughs can be varied Within stable limits to suit the user.

One of the very unique features of this invention is the slope of the trough and the yieldable strip secured to the back portion of the trough. The preferred embodiment of this invention has the trough sloped enough to exceed the angle of repose of a. book placed thereon; therefore, referring to FIGURE 4, when a book 40' is placed on the trough 17, the book will slide back and imbed the front edges 41 of the book in the rubber strip 32. The strip 32 will retain the book 40 without the necessity of any bookends or other similar apparatus to maintain the book in a perpendicular attitude. In fact, if sponge rubber is used the book will be retained in position even if it is 10 or more from the perpendicular. While the preferred embodiment of this invention discloses a solid back for the trough, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that any form of suitable back could be used, for example a strip or strips of material, lattice or other configurations.

All of the bookcase components of this invention may be constructed of any rigid material such as wood, metal, plastics etc. The book retaining stripping may be made of any deformable material such as sponge rubber or foam plastic.

The above described embodiments being exemplary only, it is to be understood that modifications in form or detail can be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited save as consonant with the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A dismountable bookcase comprising (a) a plurality of troughs having a bottom and a back,

(b) each of said troughs additionally containing at least a pair of parallel slots in each surface of said trough, said slots being transverse to the intersecting edge of said front and back,

(0) a first and second pair of support means, said first pair of support means adapted to position said trough parallel above the supporting surface and engaging the slots on the under and back sides of said trough, said first pair of support means further formed to position said trough in an inclined position,

(d) said second support means adapted to engage the slots on the top and front sides of said first trough and the under side and back side oil said remaining trough, the surfaces each being parallel to the corresponding surfaces of said first trough.

2. A device as described in claim 1, including a pliable plastic strip means secured to the inside back surface of said troughs whereby books resting against said pliable strip will be retained from falling.

3. In a bookcase trough having a bottom and a back, said bottom being rearwardly inclined by an amount suflicient to overcome the angle of repose of a book placed therein, a book holder comprising at least one deformable strip of material secured to the back of said trough said strip of material comprising a deformable 4 material compressible in the plane parallel to the surface of said bottom and extending the length of said trough whereby books sliding on said bottom toward said back will strike said deformable material thereby securing them in position.

4. A strip as described in claim 3 wherein said strip is composed of sponge rubber-like plastic.

5. A strip as described in claim 3 wherein said strip is composed of sponge rubber.

6. A dismountable bookcase comprising (a) a trough having a bottom and back;

(b) a plurality of vertical supporting means having a mating edge adapted to position said trough in an inclined position such that the intersecting edges of the bottom and back of said trough, when in normal use, is lower than the opposite edge of said bottom; and,

(c) a plurality of parallel grooves in the surface of the trough and normal to the intersecting edges of said trough and extending the full width of said back and bottom, said grooves receiving the mating edge of said support means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,001,139 5/1935 Johnson 211-42 X 2,010,734 8/1935 Iarker 211-41 2,063,224 12/1936 Bowles 312-233 X 2,112,498 3/1938 Lax 108-111 X 2,366,677 1/1945 Rosenthal 108-111 X 2,624,466 1/ 1953 Ramsay 211-43 3,141,555 7/1964 Funke et al. 2l1--135 FOREIGN PATENTS 480,505 2/ 1938 Great Britain. 684,923 12/1952 Great Britain.

ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

WILLIAM D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner. 

